But one Midland man got his chance to live like a Hollywood A-lister – when he was mistaken for Russell Crowe.

Mark Bickerton was welcomed into the VIP area of a Monaco bar, showered with Champagne and asked to sign autographs after he was confused with the Gladiator star.

One man even woke up his PA at 4am especially so that she could speak with the 44-year-old, from Shropshire.

Mark Bickerton who was mistaken for Russell Crowe

“This guy started chatting to me and half way through he stopped and looked at me and said ‘I’m so sorry, I’ve only just realised who you are’,” Mark told the Birmingham Mail.

“He said ‘You’re Russell Crowe, aren’t you?’

“We’d had a couple of drinks – a bit of dutch courage – and it kind of spiralled from there.”

For at least the next six hours Mark, who has founded drinks companies Fullchat and No Comply Brands, found himself posing for pictures, signing autographs – and answering awkward questions about the Gladiator blockbuster.

Mark Bickerton was mistaken for Russell Crowe

“People kept asking me to say lines from Gladiator, which I didn’t know at all,” he said.

“A woman asked me if I still had my outfit – I said I did.

“One guy even woken his PA up at 4am to speak to me.

“I don’t have an Australian accent but after a few drinks there was definitely a little bit of an Australian twang coming through.”

Bands playing at the party, the night before the Monaco Grand Prix in 2013, were even sent over to meet the ‘star’ at the end of the night.

And when he looked concerned as his new group of admirers said they wanted to move the party on to an even more exclusive club, Mark was reassured that the new club would be delighted to entertain a star like Russell.